Wixom man drowns at Caseville beach

Kate Hessling, Tribune Staff Writer

Published 8:00 pm, Sunday, July 6, 2008

CASEVILLE — Officials applauded the efforts of many volunteers who assisted in searching for and recovering the body of a 39-year-old Wixom man who drowned Saturday while swimming at the Caseville County Park beach.

“I was grateful the community came together to help us search,” said Caseville Police Chief Jamie Learman, noting at the time of the incident, there were between roughly 400 and 500 people at the beach.

Huron County Sheriff Kent Tibbits said he didn’t have an exact number as to how many people helped in the search and recovery efforts, however, he heard reports that many beach-goers took time to help.

“When I got there, I was more concentrated on the recovery, and I assisted with that,” he said. “But witnesses said there were at least 100 volunteers that were assisting with the search.”

Tibbits said the incident was reported at 11:27 a.m. Saturday, when Central Dispatch received several 9-1-1 calls from people on the beach.

He said the 39-year-old Wixom man, Thomas Weaver, was up in the area for the day with his fiancé, Peggy Collins, and Weaver’s two children, Megan and Zack.

Witnesses told police Weaver was wading in 3 1/2 to 4 feet of water, roughly 150 to 175 yards off shore, using a metal detector to search for valuables, Tibbits said. Witnesses saw Weaver kneeling in the water and then calling for help several times.

In particular, two 14-year-old girls who were in the immediate area heard Weaver calling for help and yelled back to him, Tibbits said. The girls said they saw Weaver slip under the surface, and they then rushed to shore and asked people to call for help.

Emergency crews arrived on the scene to find volunteers in the water searching for the victim along the north edge of the swim area at the Caseville County Park beach, the sheriff reports. Police at the scene coordinated efforts for the sheriff’s marine patrol and scuba divers. Emergency personnel joined in the search and a human chain was formed to sweep the area.

Tibbits said Weaver’s body was found shortly afterward and CPR was immediately started.

Scheurer Ambulance transported Weaver to Scheurer Hospital in Pigeon where resuscitation efforts continued, he said. Weaver was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead shortly afterward.

Witnesses believe Weaver may have been under water for a minimum of 20 minutes, Tibbits said.

After Weaver was transported to Scheurer Hospital by Scheurer Hospital ambulance personnel, Huron County Medical Examiner Richard Lockard ordered an autopsy to be performed later in the day at Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe.

Tibbits said Dr. John Laio performed the autopsy, which was completed at about 5 p.m. Saturday, and preliminary results indicated Weaver died as a result of a drowning accident.

The sheriff said he’s not aware if Weaver had a pre-existing medical condition, and there’s no indication of foul play. Also, he said, preliminary results from the autopsy found there was no indication of alcohol or drugs in Weaver’s system.

Assisting the Huron County Sheriff’s Department at the scene Saturday were Scheurer Ambulance, the Caseville Police Department, Huron County Sheriff deputies working in Caseville Township, the Caseville Fire Department, Michigan State Police, and Winsor Township Fire Chief John Kohr, who was camping nearby, Tibbits said.

Neither Tibbits nor Willenberg could recall the last time a swimmer drowned at the Caseville County Park beach.

“It’s been a long time since the last time a drowning happened at Caseville beach,” Willenberg said.